The Quirky Blonde Witch
by attlantica
Summary: "Every time he saw her, he felt a fluttering of butterflies in his stomach and wanted to hold her hand so badly it hurt;" Neville likes Luna, Luna likes Neville, but it isn't that easy. [Set after the Battle of Hogwarts]


**Disclaimer: nothing's mine _except_ for the Yarding Spruts :3**

 **Thanks to the wonderful PuffPower who beta'd this (:**

 **Word Count (Without A/N) 1039 words**

 **Challenges:**

 **Arithmancy [Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]** **Task:** **I believe in true love and to me Molly and Arthur symbolize true love. I would like you to write about a couple that were, in your eyes, meant to be but were not in Canon.**

 **Famous Witches and Wizards Card Challenge**

 **Hogwarts Scavenger Hunt – Longbottom**

 **Romance Quote Challenge – Ten tiny Breaths no. 5**

 **1991 Challenge – Neville Longbotton (Gryffindor) / scar**

 **Read Between the Lines Challenge – Luna/Neville - a Romance/Friendship story set between the end of the Battle of Hogwarts and the epilogue**

* * *

"That's going to scar."

Neville looked up to see a petite blonde girl, Luna, pointing at the long gash that went from his brow to his lip.

"Yeah, Luna, I know," he said with a smile.

Luna smiled back. "That's good, at least the Yarding Spruts won't be living near your house,"

Neville glanced at the Gryffindor sword on his hands, then at Luna, and then at the Great Hall, then back at Luna. "Do you even know what are you talking about?" he said with a slight grin.

"Yes," Luna sighed dreamily. "The Yarding Spruts live near those who smell like blood, as they like it."

"Oh," was all Neville could really say. Nobody could understand Luna completely, but he went with the flow, as he always had.

"Why blood though?" he said curiously.

"Oh Neville! Don't be so silly!" Luna said mockingly. "Don't you remember, you have a gash on your head!" Then she added, as an afterthought, "And don't forget you killed a giant snake, and some other Death Eaters,"

Neville looked down at his feet. "Yeah, I killed people–" He looked up suddenly to see her staring deeply into his eyes. "Luna, I've killed people, oh Merlin!" he said frantically.

Luna smiled and ran her fingers through his hair. "Oh, don't fret, Neville," she said softly. "That's in the past, and our past isn't who we are. I'm me and you're you and that's who we need to be. Don't forget that."

"Thanks, Luna, I'll try to remember." He smiled again. She always made Neville smile. "And, err, have you seen the rest of the D.A.? I've only really seen the Weasleys in general, and Creevy..." His smile melted off his face. "That poor kid."

Glancing around, Luna shook her head. "Well, I've seen you too, so that counts," she said thoughtfully, "and I know Harry, Ron and Hermione and somewhere around the castle."

"Let's go look for them," he said, offering her his hand. "Shall we?"

oOoOoOo

About a month and a half had passed, and the Wizarding world slowly got back on its feet. Neville and Luna had seen each other about three or four times since then. They had once met accidentally in a bookstore, then in the apothecary, and finally agreed to go together to a fundraising for orphaned children.

Every time he saw her, he felt a fluttering of butterflies in his stomach and wanted to hold her hand so badly it hurt; however, he hadn't talked about it with her, but he felt that she had probably already noticed. Luna was quick to catch emotions, even if others struggled to even see if she was happy or sad. Luna and Neville had agreed to meet each other near a Muggle café (even if it was a bit risky, as Luna practically sprouted magic from her nails).

Opening the door, Neville entered the café and looked around. He sat at an empty table when he realized that Luna wasn't there yet, but he heard the door's bell ring and Luna entered.

People looked up to see her, and looked at her weirdly because of her eccentric clothes. She had her radish earrings on, a Ravenclaw scarf, and a dark blue sundress. Luna also had her wand on the back of her left ear, but it looked like a chopstick so people didn't see it as weird.

As odd as she was, Neville found her beautiful, because one's beauty is not on the exterior, but on the inside, and Luna was anything but unkind or careless. Luna held onto her friends, and understood the value of love and friendship, which was what had pulled Neville in.

He couldn't resist a kind person; it was the trait he considered the best on people.

"Hello, Neville," Luna greeted as she sat down. She waved at the waiter, who came over to take their order.

"Hi, Luna," he replied, smiling. Then he addressed the waiter. "Can I get an Earl Grey, please, milk apart? Thanks," he said. Luna then ordered a caramel coffee, and the waiter walked away with their order. Neville watched him go, drumming his fingers on the table.

"Neville, are you okay?" said Luna suddenly, and he looked at her to find her frowning at him. She looked very concerned. "I think the Nargles are attacking you," she said, watching him closely.

Neville chuckled hollowly. Luna had taught him all she knew about peculiar creatures, and he knew she was referencing his feelings.

"Yeah, Luna," he said, his smile falling away as nerves began to flutter in his stomach. "I–erm–well, I think I should tell you something–"

"Hang on," Luna interrupted. "Don't even start, Neville Longbottom. If you are rejecting me right now, you ought to at least know that the Fizzing Wasps will come after you–"

"Luna," he said with a slight smile, "I always thought you were good picking up emotions,"

She stared at him, confused. "I am, but really Neville. The Fizzing Wasps come when you–"

"Yes, Luna, I know what they do," Neville said in amusement. "But I wanted to ask if you wanted to go out some time? I mean, I just–"

Luna squealed, drawing the attention of people near her. "Oh, that's fantastic!" she cried, reaching across the table to hug him. "How about tomorrow? There's this carnival for enthusiasts of creatures around the world and I think we should go." She smiled.

Neville chuckled again. "Sure, Luna. We'll go."

"That's perfect!" she said happily. And then, before he could process what was happening, Luna gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "Bye, Neville!" she laughed, and dashed out of the place, eyes following her actions.

If others had asked, Neville would have told them that he didn't go after her because she had probably already Apparated. But the truth was that he didn't go after her because he was in a state of shock - Luna had never kissed him before.

Neville touched his lips and thought about the madness he had involved himself with. Luna was surely odd, but Neville liked odd. It gave off creativity and uniqueness, two things he appreciated as a person.

 **FIN**


End file.
